If I wanted to know how I realized it, the answer was simple.
First of all, the terms of their relationship were established too quickly.
«Then try it. That execution of yours».
«Annihilate them! You can kill them all except their leader!»
We went straight into battle after the meeting, and the village chief had run with the monsters.
And then, the chase sequence occurred.
«Are you heading there? All forces, change direction!»
Curiously, as soon as I changed course, the main force chased after me. It was as if Jerome was aware of my movements. That was just a feeling I had, of course. However, even if he had noticed me walking away, it didn't change the fact that it was strange for him to chase me.
Because if this was the Jerome who gave everything for the mission, if he was the one who openly showed his hostility against the so-called «traitor» chief of the village...
Then he wouldn't have stopped chasing the boss until the mission was over.
...Well, this is all just because I have a strange feeling about the situation.
What put the nail in the coffin was when Jerome made that request to me.
«Could you maybe lead from the front?»
This was the guy who had put my confidence above the success of the battle when I collapsed during the fight against the Wolf of Kashan Prophecy. The guy who would throw away the precious lives of his subordinates for the mission.
However, did that same guy try to throw me into the path of unknown danger?
After sensing that something was going quite wrong and reviewing all the possibilities in my mind, I could only come to one conclusion. The real problem was that I ended up being right.
«You and your people should have no reason to know. There seem to be more rats than expected among these rows».
Jerome looked at his subordinates with cold eyes. He seemed to suspect that the reason he had noticed the strangeness of the situation was because he had a spy among his troops. Well, that would make it easier to explain why I tried to flee during the chase, at least.
In any case, by saying «your people», he is probably referring to Raven and Kaislan as well...
My suspicion was now proven.
With that, I began to think about what the conversation between the village chief and Jerome might have consisted of. It must have taken place on this island, at a time when everyone except the night patrol was sleeping.
If my hypothesis was correct, those two had met to talk secretly, and the boss had taken the opportunity to make Jerome an offer. Something that Jerome Saintred then decided was worth more than his mission.
«What was it about? What did the village chief promise you to change sides in just one day?». I asked bluntly.
Jerome, however, was not so willing to be so communicative. «This is where our conversation ends, Your Honor. Now that I've given you your answer, take the initiative and walk underground».
It was not a request or a suggestion. With nothing more to hide, he dictated: «I order you as your commander».
«What if I say I don't want to?». I replied.
«I will take it as a voluntary challenge to the royal decree».
To be honest, I was a little surprised. There were about two hundred witnesses here, and he continued to act so brazenly.
Trust that you can control the flow of this information...
He probably had many methods at his disposal. Money, fame, honor and authority. The number of tricks he could use in the palace was almost infinite, and if by chance he stumbled upon someone with whom none of those tricks worked, it didn't matter that much anyway.
After all, his will would be fulfilled, even if he had to resort to extremes.
I bit my lip, glancing at my allies. They seemed to immediately sense where my attention had been directed.
«Yandel, don't waste your time thinking about us. We are all ready». Even if you don't want to, you have to fight when the situation requires it. You were the one who said it, right, Bjorn?».
Even Ainar with his Aggression took out his weapon and stood behind me.
«I didn't expect this to happen so soon...» Versyl admitted. However, his determination to take the necessary measures, regardless of the consequences, became evident. «But it was inevitable that we would have to face it at some point».
However, the one that surprised me the most was Armin.
«We too will fight at your side, Lord Baron. That will allow us to pay our debt to you», he declared bravely, apparently without fear of being branded a traitor to the crown.
«Uhh...n-we...it's that...I don't know, so let's try to solve this with words first...».
On the other hand, Wyatt Hektz didn't seem so loyal to me. Although to be fair, that should have been the normal reaction.
Even those on the palace side seemed to hesitate once they realized that they were now in opposition to me.
«If what the baron said is true... Did the count conspire together with that monster...?».
«He probably has his reasons...but sending the baron into danger like that, is this what we should do?»
«Wasn't it our mission to get the baron back and get him back alive? This goes against that».
The achievements he had accumulated. My fame as a hero and my position as a nobleman. And even the favorable impression I had among the soldiers.
Although those three factors combined would not be enough for them to go against their commander, they opened a rift between the party, creating a schism among the members. I could see it from here: if Jerome gave the order to kill me right now, his doubts would remain in arms.
That would be my opening.
It was an opening as small as the head of a needle for now, but from now on, its size would depend on how you decided to proceed.
«I, Baron Bjorn Yandel, will say this!» I lowered the shield I had raised in defense and shouted: «As a proud nobleman who supports the Royal House of Rafdonia, and as a warrior, I swear this! If it's for the sake of the palace, I'm not afraid of anything! Even if I have to give my life».
As I screamed, I held the Lost Trust firmly in my hand. He turned it off for a moment every time he spoke, but if he hid it well enough, they wouldn't be able to notice at this distance.
«I am always ready to throw myself into danger for the glorious future of the royal house!».
I roared my loyalties made solely of lies as I finished my statement.
«However! I don't know for sure if this is an action at the service of the palace! Or if you're making the wrong decision because you believe in something you shouldn't!»
This was a type of poison. A poison that would seep into everyone present and lead to their destruction.
«Do you dare... suspect my loyalty to the royal house?» Jerome seethed.
«How can I not do it if you don't give me an adequate explanation? Explain it to me so I can understand it! Then I, Bjorn, son of Yandel, will go there immediately! Even if you do it to get rid of me».
I was going to cling to him like a leech and drag him with me if necessary.
The silence continued while Jerome Saintred remained silent, and suspicions began to arise among the other members of the expedition group.
However, it seemed like he had noticed too.
«Speak up, Jerome Saintred!» I ordered. «What's down there and what deal have you made with the village chief?».
His response came slowly, but indignation heated his voice into a scream as he said: «...I cannot reveal military secrets to you. However, you should know this. All this is for the good of the royal house».
«I can't trust that!»
He leaned back. «Why can't you? Isn't Wrong Trust active? You should know that everything I have said is the truth-»
«You might think this is for the good of the royal house and be wrong!»
That made him shut up again.
Okay. Judging by his expression, he would probably start dropping some information if he kept pushing. If I could get a stronger rebuttal, influencing public opinion at my side might not be impossible here.
«Then speak! Explain to me how it benefits the royal house if I go there!»
With my assessment of the situation concluded, I put my loyalty on full display while shouting.
However, without warning, I heard a voice in my head.
[...You're wrong. Opposing him here will only lead to a worse outcome].
It was a soft voice that seemed to sigh a little as he spoke.
[You could have fled immediately. Why did you have to make everything so difficult...?]
¡Flash!
Just as I began to wonder whose voice that was, a flash of silver blinded me as my consciousness began to fade.
***
[The spectator of destiny has intervened.]
[With Sven Parav's stigma as a medium, the Star Authority was cast on the character.]
[The Star Mark has been inscribed deep into your body. The Divine Resistance stat has permanently increased by +100. All the healing and positive effects of the authority of the Church of Reatlas are reduced by half].
[Attention. If you receive the authority of a god once again, your fragile mortal body will disintegrate...]
***
When I woke up, I was still standing in the same place.
No, to be precise, he was somehow looking at the place he had been from a short distance.
«Then speak! Explain to me how it benefits the royal house that I went down there».
I kept screaming as Jerome's face turned red like a hot teapot.
What the hell...?
For some reason, I was seeing this from a third-person perspective.
Look closely. You will find the answer. The voice I had heard before spoke to me again in my mind the moment I questioned this phenomenon.
My mind fluttered and clouded as if I were drunk. Maybe that was why, but somehow, the question faded from my mind until only the thought of hearing that order filled my head.
«Why can't you answer me? Maybe it's because you know it too. That this action you are trying to carry out is not at all for the good of the royal house!».
The more I watched the scene, the worse the situation became.
I didn't stop talking, and in the end the commander ended up shouting back.
«How long do you plan to show contempt for the palace?! Traitor!»
«Ha! Traitor! I am not going against the king's orders. I'm just questioning your decision...»
«Ha! Do you really think I wouldn't know? You are nothing more than a traitor acting like Bjorn, son of Yandel!»
"...¿Which?"
When Jerome said that, «my» eyes that I could see from here widened in surprise. Since I was looking at myself, it wasn't difficult for me to guess what I was thinking. I was probably afraid of being discovered for being an evil spirit.
«I suspected you from the moment we met, but I made sure after coming here. You're the one who performed under the name Iron Mask decades ago in Noark».
«Eh…»
«You must have received orders from Noark to become a spy to continue your activity as a barbarian who has just become an adult. I bet you also went back to them during the two years and six months you disappeared for the «special mission».»
«Uhhh...»
«Still, do you stay there and dare to tell lies towards the palace? I don't know how you are suppressing the effects of Wrong Trust...»
«Deleting? I don't...»
«Then hold it so we can see it! There, look! Stop every time you talk!»
From there the game was over.
«If that means handing over a traitor like you and bringing prosperity to the palace, then I would do it a hundred times, no, a thousand times. What are you doing? Arrest this evil traitor! If someone tries to help him, treat him as a traitor too and kill him! I, Jerome Saintred, will take full responsibility for what happens here!»
The lies he was spreading through Mistaken Trust rang out, and before he could give anything resembling a proper explanation, Jerome immediately gave the order to attack.
«Everyone hide behind me!»
With the Hektz Clan and the Armin Adventurer Group out of play, the Anabada Clan members took one last position as this world came to an end.
Without realizing it, I murmured: «What happens after this...?».
That mysterious voice answered me again. [Among your precious allies, three of them die. And then he heads to the future that I showed that child].
Only then did I realize who that voice was. She was the goddess of the stars who oversees destiny: Reatlas. It was an atheistic encounter with a real god in a distant world, but it didn't impact me as much as I thought. There was only one important thing on his hands.
«So what should I have done? It was obvious that he was up to something. Should I have gone down without protest?».
An answer.
Just as humans sought God when they were cornered, I also sought an answer from this God.
[Te lo diet. Mira hasa el final.]
And then, time in the frozen world began to recede.